Pestering Ginny
by Kinz
Summary: Post HBP. Ginny always goes to the same place every day to light a candle for her dead dad. A voice has been talking to her in the room since the first time. Little does Ginny know that it's ontherun Draco Malfoy behind the walls. DG, based off Phantom of
1. Wizard's Duel

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anyone/thing associated with it. I also don't own Phantom of the Opera, any of its lines, and any of its ideas.

Merry Christmas, first of all. I have to warn you of something about this fic. I will very doubtfully ever finish this fic. Chances are that I'll get bored/writer's block or lose the file/notebook. Just know that and don't get mad when I don't update ever. However, I have the first three chapters written and typed, so I will get those up hopefully, key word HOPEFULLY, by the end of break (I go back Jan. 2).

And this fic requires a bit of explanation. I got obsessed with Phantom of the Opera a couple weeks ago (I watched the 2004 movie seven times in a one-and-a-half week period) and I decided to kind of combine Harry Potter and Phantom of the Opera. It's Harry Potter characters and a few (not all that many) ideas from Phantom. For example, there is a "Phantom" behind the walls of Hogwarts. I stole some of the lines (but I don't own them, as stated in the disclaimer). There will most likely be a masquerade, if I ever get that far. There is a character named Meg. If you have a problem with any of this, leave NOW and don't flame me.

By the way, **bold **is Draco. Normal is Ginny, if you couldn't guess.

And now, our feature presentation!

* * *

"And please let him be well in heaven, where I know he is," Ginny finished. She waited a moment before saying, "Amen." Her head bowed slightly as she waved her hand once over the candle that stood on a table in front of her. The candle flickered to life, burning brightly. Ginny smiled with satisfaction. 

"**I see you've been practicing." **a deep voice said from no apparent source. It was everywhere and it was nowhere, all at the same time.

Ginny shrugged as if the voice could see her gestures. "Only when nobody's around. I don't want them finding out."

"**And why not?"**

"I don't want to be special. Besides, I'd have to tell about you."

"**Fair point. Come, do the first exercise you learned. You could do with some revision."**

Ginny groaned and rolled her eyes. "I already know how to find my magical core."

"**Prove it."**

Ginny rolled her eyes again but closed them. A few seconds later, eyes still closed, she said, "Located."

"**Good, now turn your quill into an ink bottle."**

Ginny opened her eyes and picked up her quill. Almost instantly, it turned into a perfect inkwell.

"**Now turn it purple and three times its size,"** the voice commanded. Ginny did, all without a wand.

"**Good. Put it down. Today we're working on hexes. Do you have a favorite?" **

Ginny smiled. "The Bat-Bogey hex."

"**Ah, the infamous Bat-Bogey hex. I knew someone during my Hogwarts days that liked that charm."**

"When was that?" Ginny asked eagerly. She was always interested in her tutor's former life. He was so closed about himself but seemed to know everything about her.

"**Nice try, Ginny," **he said. **"Now, the hex. Turn your inkwell into an animal. When that's done, gather up your energy, focus it, and turn it on the animal while concentrating on that spell."**

Ginny nodded and outstretched a hand towards the ink well that was now a rabbit. The hare shuddered as what looked like small bats flapped around its head. Then the "bats" fell to the ground and the bunny cowered.

**"You need to be able to do that without your arm outstretched. You're not concentrating properly today, Ginny. Your work is showing it. Come back tomorrow when you are ready to work."**

There was little compassion in the voice, only impatience and coldness. Ginny shivered; she hated it when he got mad at her.

"Can't I stay? I'll concentrate better, I promise."

But it was useless. No deep voice echoed through the room. Ginny sighed, gathered her stuff, and walked out the door into silent, dark corridors.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Ginny, wake up!" an insistent voice said.

Ginny groaned and, without opening her eyes, asked, "Why? It's Saturday."

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione have returned."

Ginny's eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. "You're kidding!" she gasped. The blonde girl beside her bed shook her head.

"No joke. They're in the common room."

"Meg, you rock," Ginny said, getting out of bed. "Now go away so I can change."

Meg nodded and started down the spiral staircase to the common room. Ginny closed the door behind the blonde and absently waved her hand at the dresser. A shirt, jeans, underclothes, and robes came floating out towards her. They landed in a heap on her bed. She rolled her eyes.

"Really have to work on that," Ginny muttered before levitating her clothes in front of her (without using a wand) and heading to the bathroom. She was halfway there when the door clicked open.

"Ginny are you ready – Ginny, what are you doing?" Meg asked from the doorway.

Ginny lost concentration and the garments fell to the floor. "What?" she asked, her pulse racing. Nobody was supposed to find out.

"You can do wandless magic?" Meg asked. "That's so awesome!"

Ginny shrugged. "I need to change. Don't tell." And with that, Ginny disappeared into the bathroom, manually carrying her clothes. When she came out, fully dressed, Meg was sitting on her bed, waiting.

"Since when?" she asked eagerly.

"Classified. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will hurt you. And I will find out. Got it?"

Meg nodded. "Gotcha. Come on, the Trio awaits."

The two descended the stairs to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione sitting on the couch looking dirty and exhausted. They were surrounded by a crowd of people.

"OK, people, time to get away from the three! Come on, go to breakfast or something. Leave Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone," Ginny called. When nobody listened, she yelled, "Everyone to breakfast NOW, or else!"

Everyone looked at her, she glared at them. People left and soon the common room was vacant except for the trio, Ginny, and Meg.

"Nice one, Ginny," Ron said. "Didn't know you could control crowds so well."

"Hi to you too," Ginny said, smiling. "Were you successful?"

"Yes," Harry said slowly. "But we don't know where he is so we can kill him."

"You'll find him," Ginny said. "Or he'll come to you. He always does."

Meg was examining the message board. "Hey, Ginny! There's another dueling club! We should go!"

Ginny groaned, remembering the last dueling club. "I'm not sure that's such a great idea, Meg."

"Well, you're going anyway. Come on, let's go down to breakfast."

Ginny looked at the trio. "Take a shower and get some rest. You all look dead."

"Love you too, Gin," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Go to breakfast."

Meg pulled Ginny out of the portrait hole and the two walked to the Great Hall.

"I don't want to duel," Ginny whined. "There's already enough fighting in the world. We don't need to make it worse."

"Nonsense," Meg said firmly. "Come on. You'll be great."

She pulled Ginny into the Great Hall.

"Meg…" Ginny whined again, but the blonde paid no attention. Once they got to the crowd surrounding the dueling platform, they could see what looked like Seamus Finnigan dueling Blaise Zabini. Ginny barely had time to wonder how much money Seamus was getting when he collapsed, unconscious, having been on the receiving end of a curse Ginny couldn't identify. Seamus was carried off the stage and Zabini smirked maliciously.

"Anyone else?" he asked cockily. Nobody raised their hands. Meg suddenly looked at Ginny and a mischievous grin spread across her face.

_Uh-oh_, Ginny thought.

"Ginny will. She's wonderful at dueling," Meg said loudly.

"WHAT!" Ginny shrieked. "You did _not_ just say that, Meg!"

"Oh yes I did," Meg said, grinning. She pushed Ginny forward where she was grabbed by the crowd and thrown onto the platform.

"This should be easy," Ginny heard Blaise mutter to his friends. She clenched her teeth and her fists.

McGonagall looked nervous as she oversaw the dueling.

"Don't worry, Professor," Ginny heard Meg say. "She'll be fine."

"Bow to each other," the new Potions teacher (Ginny always forgot his name) said. Ginny barely bowed her head before reaching for her wand. She had barely even touched it when she saw a ball of red hurtling towards her. Without thinking, almost reflexively, she concentrated and the spell rebounded on its caster when it hit her shield. He ducked and gaped at her for a second before cursing her again. Rather, he tried to curse her. Although she rocked backwards, it bounced off as she pulled out her wand. Blaise, in a move quick as lightning, knocked it out of her hands.

"Let's see just what you can do, Weasley," he said, just loud enough for Ginny to hear.

Ginny still didn't think, only reacted to the curse being cast at her. She flung out her hand and Blaise was blasted back. The crowd gasped, but Ginny didn't hear. All she could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears.

Blaise was rapidly rising and started smirking. "Little Weasley, is that the best you can do?"

"I don't want to fight," Ginny hissed, jumping out of the way of a spell.

"Why, think you can't stand up to me? I don't blame you, of course. Your whole family is like that. Your father especially was a coward."

Ginny was seeing red. "Say that again, Zabini," she growled. He raised an eyebrow.

"Your father was a coward and stupid," Blaise taunted. He said more, but Ginny wasn't listening. As he mentioned 'dead', she snapped. She put her hand out, palm out, and purple light shot out of her palm. It hit Blaise in the arm and a crack resounded throughout the hall. He barely winced although Ginny knew that that spell hurt like hell. He muttered something and Ginny fell, clutching her chest. She rebounded and Blaise was forced back. He continued to retreat as Ginny continued throwing spells.

The crowd became silent as Ginny grabbed her wand off the ground and held it to Blaise's throat.

"This is what happens when you insult my father. Do you give up, Blaise Zabini? Or do you want me to curse you further?"

She took his glare as a challenge and grabbed his wand. "How 'bout now?" she asked, throwing it behind her.

"A Slytherin never loses to a Gryffindor," he sneered.

"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything. You're without a wand. Do you give up?"

"Never."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Have it your way. _Stupefy_!"

The male collapsed and Ginny looked down at his prone body in horror. Then her eyes lifted to the crowd. They all seemed rather aghast. Ginny's eyes settled on the figures of Meg, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The Trio looked surprised but Meg looked only faintly shocked. Then Harry's eyes caught her own and she ran.

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Short, eh? I'm sorry. Most of them will be like that. My chapters are usually short. These are around 5-6 pages typed, about twelve pages handwritten (I write big), although chapter 3 should be longer. 

So review, but please don't flame. I'll love you forever if you review and I'll give you a virtual cookie! (if you want I'll email you one those virtual flower bunches or ice cream sundaes from bored(dot)com, lol)

Chipmunks roasting on an open fire, hot sauce dripping from their toes! (whoever can tell me who sang that gets whatever they want from my bakery!)

Signing off, Merry Christmas (or Happy Christmas as Ron says),

Kinz


	2. Pestering Ginny

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or anything from Phantom of the Opera. (although I wish I did.)

OK, this chapter is where the name of this fic comes from, in case of anyone was wondering. All who wanted this chapter should all give thanks to my Sabre-sab, for she beta'd it. Be thankful, it was awful pre-Sabre. In fact, I dedicate this chapter to her.

I wrote this on very little sleep. Okay, it was four hours (which is very little for me on winter break), but it was from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, which threw off my sleep cycle and made me hyper and tired at the same time. The Snow Joe (from Ballistic at the mall) I shared with my friend probably didn't help any. So yeah. As of now, in the past three weeks, I have watched Phantom 12 or 13 times and I'll see it at least once tomorrow. (AHH! I'm turning into Becki!)

* * *

She ran straight to the little room that had become her sanctuary in the past few years. She collapsed on the floor in front of the candle and breathed heavily for a few minutes.

"**Bravo," **the deep voice said quietly. **"Bravo."**

Ginny looked around as she always did when he first talked. Then a voice from the hallway made her swallow her answer.

"Ginny? Ginny?" Meg came into the room. "Where in the world have you been hiding? You were perfect. I only wish I knew your secret – who is your great tutor?"

"Perfect, eh?" Ginny grinned, sidestepping the tutor piece neatly. "I should kill you for volunteering me, but I won't on account of you being my best friend and all."

"Aha. The bonds of friendship wins again! So why here?"

"Ever since my father died, I've lit a candle every night for him." Ginny didn't mention her teacher, the great disembodied voice.

"That's so sweet of you, Ginny. Come on, let's go up. It's nearly curfew."

"I'll stay a bit longer," Ginny said, "but you go. I'll be right up."

"Okay…" Meg said slowly. "Just be sure to make it up before curfew."

"Aye," Ginny agreed. "I will."

With a last smile, Meg disappeared up the stairs. Ginny waved her hand over the candle absently. It flared to life and she stared into its depths, not thinking, just staring blankly.

"**So you dueled the last decent fighter in the school and won. I trust you used your new skills?"**

"Well, yes," Ginny answered. "But I didn't want to. Meg made me."

"**I see. Are you here for a reason?"**

Ginny hesitated. "I want to ask you something."

"**Well, if that's all you wanted to do, go back. It's curfew."**

"No, I want to know who you are." Ginny took a deep breath. "I want to see you. I don't even know your name!"

When the voice spoke again, it was cold. **"Ginevra Weasley, go back. It's not your business."**

"Then are you a Death Eater?"

"**Don't ever say that if you want these lessons ever again," **the voice snarled. Ginny flinched and swallowed.

"Fine," she said in a small voice. "I'll be back tomorrow." She hurried and left.

The next day, Ginny was followed by whispers and nervous glances, as if she might attack at any moment. The Gryffindors treated her with extreme caution while the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws avoided her.

That night, Harry, Ron, and Hermione cornered her after dinner in the common room.

"Ginny, where did you learn that?" Harry asked, getting straight to the point.

Ginny shrugged. As much as her tutor had scared her, she felt the need to protect him, whoever he was. "I picked it up over the summer, after Dad died."

"Ginny, I've read about wandless magic. You can't just pick it up without a tutor," Hermione interjected.

"Well, I did," Ginny said stubbornly. "Now I have to go." She got up from the couch and walked towards the portrait hole. "Don't even bother tailing me," she called back. "I'm just going to the kitchens. I'm hungry."

When she was back at the room where Meg had found her, she took out the Marauder's Map, which she had "borrowed" from Harry earlier that day. She wasn't on it, and neither was anyone near where she'd be.

"Forgive me, King of Shadows, I mistook," she said aloud, quoting one of her favorite Shakespeare plays.

"**Quoting Shakespeare? He was a wizard, you know,"** the voice said quietly, as if he knew to not draw attention to itself.

"Of course I know. That's how I know of him."

"**So you've come back,"** he observed. **"Find your center and hurry up."**

Ginny closed her eyes and concentrated on the magical ball of energy that she knew lived inside of her. "Okay," she said. "What now, oh great one?"

"'**Oh great one?'"** The voice sounded slightly amused**. "Trying to flatter me? What do you want? You can relax while you talk, by the way."**

"I'm not trying to do anything," Ginny defended, opening her eyes. "Unless, of course, it's working."

"**Cheeky girl,"** the voice said dismissively. **"Now find your center again and conjure up a table. Then make the table dance."**

Ginny did so, and the table soon looked to be doing some sort of jig.

"Acceptable?" she asked.

"**Almost. The back left leg is limping."**

Ginny looked, and, indeed, saw leg was wobbling.

"How do you see all this?" she asked. "How do you know so much?"

"**I was taught at a very young age how to do this,"** the voice said. **"The rest I picked up."**

Ginny thought she detected a note of bitterness in his normally emotionless voice. "But how old are you? Are you dead or alive?" she prodded.

"**Pestering Ginny, I will show myself for a moment. Look at your reflection in the mirror. I will be there."**

Ginny's eyes widened. She hadn't expected that. She had dreamed about him, had spent countless hours with him learning wandless magic, but she had never expected to actually see him in person, or even though a mirror. She looked over towards the mirror and at first saw only her own reflection, but as she walked towards it, another figure appeared next to it. She glanced back, but nobody was behind her. It gave her an eerie feeling, but Ginny Weasley had never been one to act on her feelings, except for anger. She walked closer to the mirror, and she could see him clearly. He had on a mask and had blonde hair, although it was grey with dust, and he was at least a foot taller than Ginny. Of course, Ginny was only 5'3", so it wasn't that hard to be taller than her.

As quickly as the image of him had appeared, it vanished. Ginny frowned. There had been something cold about his eyes… something familiar. She just couldn't place it.

"**It's curfew,"** the voice said shortly. **"Go to bed."**

"Why do you wear a mask?" Ginny asked.

"**Maybe I'm terribly deformed,"** the voice said and Ginny was sure that he was smirking.

"Mmhmm. What am I supposed to call you, O Deformed One?"

"**Think of something. Nothing girly."**

Ginny thought for a moment. "My father used to speak of an angel. He said that when he died, he'd send the angel down to watch over me. I'll call you Angel."

"…**I said nothing girly."**

"There are plenty of males named Angel. Angel of Darkness?"

"**Go to bed. I hear someone coming."**

Ginny checked the Marauder's Map. Sure enough, a dot marked Harry Potter was coming towards where she was. She gathered her things and stepped out of the room, running to head him off.

"Hey! Harry!" Ginny hissed. "I'm here; I'm going back. Come with me."

Harry caught up with her. His hand brushed hers, and he frowned and took it in his own hand. "Your hands are cold."

"I was kneeling on the floor and my leaning on my hands," she lied.

Harry looked at her with narrowed eyes. Then he cupped her chin. "Your face, Ginny, it's white."

Ginny stepped back, out of Harry's reach. She knew exactly what had startled her so, but she couldn't tell anyone. They'd assume he was a Death Eater, and they would storm the room and find wherever the Angel was hiding. Then he'd be arrested for skulking about Hogwarts unknown and uninvited. She steered Harry away from the room. "Let's go back to Gryffindor Tower. What were you doing down here, anyway?"

Harry shrugged. "Your friend – the blonde one – was worried about you. She was going to go out to get you, but it's too dangerous for anyone to be walking alone at night, even here. That includes you, Ginny. I don't want you sneaking around anymore. It's too dangerous."

"But it's perfectly fine for you, Ron, and Hermione to go out at night? I mean, aren't you the highest-risk people in the school?"

"Ginny," Harry said seriously, frowning. "We all care about you. Please, don't go out anymore."

"Can't promise. I have to practice somehow."

"Ginny, this is important, more important than what you've been doing. Your safety comes first."

"That's very considerate of you," Ginny said, "but I'm a big girl now. I'm not just Ron's baby sister anymore. I can take care of myself."

"I know, but just humor me."

"I'll think about it."

The two reached Gryffindor tower and Ginny climbed into the room first. She was immediately ambushed by Meg.

"Where have you been? They wouldn't let me go out and find you. Don't you know better than to go off wandering near curfew?"

Ginny said nothing but instead ran up to her room. Her head was spinning. She had seen the person behind the voice, behind the walls. It disturbed her that he wore a mask, wouldn't tell her his name, and became snappy when she asked questions.

She fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake up until morning.

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REVIEW, PLEASE! 


	3. Inside

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter of Phantom of the Opera. And Draco's spell belongs to Lauren, who was nice enough to lend me her spell from Latin class.

I've had this written since forever. I doubt anyone's actually reading this, so I don't feel that bad about not posting this. I'll write and post faster if you review… -hint hint- And thank you SO much those who did review. It made me happy!

Umm… the "Insolent boy…" line doesn't really belong but I REALLY wanted to have it in. It kind of refers to the second paragraph of this chapter, so yeah.

I'm currently watching Phantom for the 27th time since the beginning of December. XD

* * *

It had been two weeks since the duel between Ginny and Blaise and the whispers had ceased for the most part. Ginny hadn't been to the Angel's room since the night she saw him in the mirror. There was a strange twinge in her gut every time she thought of him. She decided it was guilt for leaving him alone for so long.

Actually, the part about the rumors was untrue. There was a rumor going on that Harry was the one who had taught her wandless magic, even though he couldn't do it (yet) and he had been gone until just that morning. And the worst part? Harry hadn't even been denying it.

Classes were going well, if you could count her teachers telling her to use her wand even though she already was. Snape was being a greasy git, but he was always a greasy git, so Ginny didn't lose any sleep over it.

Harry was acting strangely around her, always staring at her but avoiding her eyes. He had done that last year when he fancied her, and it made her worried. Not for herself, but for the repercussions that were sure to come back to Harry. Not to mention, she didn't feel butterflies in her stomach when she looked at him or heard his name.

"Here, I've got a riddle for you," Meg said, grinning. It was dinnertime and Ginny and Meg were done with eating. "Here goes: What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor man has it, the rich man needs it, and if you eat it, you die. What is it?"

"I don't know. What?" Ginny said. Meg always had the weirdest riddles.

"Nothing!" Meg answered.

"…Wha-?"

"That's the answer to the riddle. Nothing. Nothing is greater than God, more evil than the-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Ginny said, laughing. "Interesting."

"I learned it from my little brother before-" Meg looked down, and Ginny knew why. Her little brother had died from a Muggle disease called leukemia last year. He was only nine. Ginny leaned to the side and gave Meg a hug.

"Ginny, can I see you for a sec?" a voice said from behind them., ruining the moment. Ginny turned around and glared at the offender.

"What?" she snapped, irritated at him for ruining a moment. Harry looked taken aback and Ginny sighed, her expression softening. "Sorry. What do you want?"

"To talk with you," Harry answered. Ginny sighed and looked at Meg, who gave her a small smile and motioned with her head to go. Ginny got up and looked at Harry.

"Where?"

"Not here. Somewhere private." He led her by the wrist over to an abandoned classroom. Ginny looked at him questioningly.

"What did you want to talk about? It had better be good."

Harry fidgeted. "Um… I was wondering if… if…"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Get on with it. I don't have all day."

"Well, we kind of broke off suddenly last year and I've regretted it. A day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought of you, even when I was gone. I think Ron near killed me in my sleep a couple of times."

Ginny stopped breathing. Was he _really_ expecting her to go be all "Oh yeah, Harry, I will _definitely_ go out with you after you broke up with me for no good reason. Oh, kiss me already, Harry!"? Was he really going to ask her out again?

"Ginny, will you go to the next Hogsmeade visit with me?" Harry said, more confidently, evidently thinking that her lack of protest meant that she was thinking about it.

"Um…" Ginny said slowly. "I don't really think that's the best idea."

"Why not? We dated before, why not now?"

_Because I don't like you, you twit!_ Ginny's mind screamed. Instead, she said, "Harry, we went our separate ways. Your destiny is to fight Voldemort and win, and mine is to play the helper to the helpers role. We're two very different people, and I don't think it would work out anymore now than before."

Harry looked crushed; he had obviously been expecting her to jump into his arms the way that most girls in the school would. Then his eyes narrowed.

"It's someone else, isn't it? Someone you've found while I was gone?"

Ginny's mind floated to the figure in the mirror and the voice in the room. "Yes, I found someone. But even if I hadn't, I don't like you like that anymore."

"Who, Ginny? Who?"

"I don't know his name," Ginny admitted. Harry's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"Ginny, do you know how dangerous that is? Not to mention just plain wrong."

"He wouldn't hurt me," Ginny said instantly. "He's helped me with a lot of things."

"Like what?"

"It's none of your business, Harry," Ginny responded. "Go ask someone else out. There are plenty of girls who would love to be with you."

Harry started to protest, but Ginny cut him off. "Go or I'll hex you. Would you like bogies flying around your head?"

Harry left quickly. Ginny sat down and buried her face in her hands. Was she giving off Harry-attracting vibes or something? It was all fun and giggles last year, but now she was serious. They were in the middle of a war; who needed a boyfriend?

She got up to go, resolving to be normal as possible to Harry and the rest, even though Harry was sure to avoid her.

"**Insolent boy, this slave of beauty, basking in your glory! Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor, sharing in my triumph!"**

Ginny looked around; she didn't think the Angel was in any room besides the practice room. "Angel, where are you?"

"**Closer than you might think,"** he said mysteriously. Then he sounded amused. **"Who were you speaking of before, with Po-that boy?"**

Ginny overlooked the 'Po-' temporarily as she blushed. "You…" she said timidly. The voice gave a heavy sigh.

"**You shouldn't say things like that,"** the voice said sternly. **"I am not someone to fall in love with."**

There was something that sounded familiar in that voice, but Ginny couldn't figure it out. "I never said I was falling in love with you… who says I wasn't just saying that because I didn't want to go out with him?"

"**Ginny, don't lie. You don't know _anything_ I can do."** He spoke coldly.

"Look, if you don't want to teach me anymore, just say so," Ginny whispered, tears stinging her eyes at the cold words. "If that's so, tell me, and I'll never go back to that room."

There was a pause, and then, **"That's not what I meant."**

"Then whatever _did_ you mean?"

There was a longer pause. **"Take off the sheet from the mirror in the corner,"** the voice finally said, sounding, for the first time Ginny had ever witnessed, uncertain.

Ginny tugged the sheet off indicated mirror and gasped. The person that Ginny had seen before in the practice room was in the mirror, complete with hat and mask.

"**Come with me,"** he said, glancing behind him. **"Ginny, you said you wanted to see me."**

Ginny wasn't sure in retrospect why exactly she followed him, but she decided that she must have been so shocked that she was in a daze and would have done anything.

Not that she was complaining or anything.

She grasped his hand and stepped through the mirror, wondering only vaguely why she was able to go through the mirror. The man (or boy, she couldn't tell which) led her through tunnels, glancing back every so often to look at her. Neither talked.

Through the tunnels and across an underground lake (in a small boat) they went before floating into a cavern It was a good-sized place, quite large for one person to live. It was obviously where he lived, as it was adorned with furniture. The boat docked at the edge of the water and the man stepped out.

"This is where I live," he said, holding out his hand to help Ginny out of his boat. His voice definitely sounded familiar now that it wasn't loud and echoing. Ginny took his hand and pulled herself up and out of the boat.

"You _live_ here? She asked, impressed. It was lit by torches, as Hogwarts was, but had none of the windows that the school did. All the same, it was brightly lit. The furniture was tastefully done, although Ginny couldn't figure out how in the world he managed to get a bed down there.

"You sounded like a needed a break," he explained.

Ginny nodded vehemently. "How did you know?"

"I know more about you, Ginevra Molly Weasley, than you will ever know about me," the Angel said mysteriously.

"How-? What do you do around here?" Ginny asked, changing the subject quickly.

He smirked. "Everything."

"Like what?"

"I write and I practice and I create new spells." The last activity was said with pride.

Ginny's eyes widened. She had only known one person who made spells, and as of last June (didn't everything always happen in June?), he was dead. And he was old, not like this Angel. "You make spells? Will you teach me one?"

"_No_!" he said forcefully. "They're not for young girls."

"I'm 16. That's not young."

"Some of them are a bit… dangerous for you."

Ginny was instantly on guard. No matter if she trusted him; she didn't know him at all. "Dark magic? Is it dark magic?'

"_No_," he said vehemently. "They're just not created for a girl like you. They're above your level."

Ginny put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows. "A girl like me, _how_?"

"Oh. Innocent, young, naïve… like most girls your age."

Ginny quelled a rush of annoyance. "And I suppose _you're_ a lot better? By your voice. I'd guess you're not older than me."

"Wrong. I'm older than you and much more mature. And much more ready to handle these spells."

"Try me."

"No," he said flatly. "You are not ready."

"Fine. What did you bring me here for, anyway?" Ginny asked, letting the former annoyance seep into her voice. "If it was just to tease me with what you won't teach me, I'm leaving."

"Oh, but do you know how to get out?" the man smirked. "You'd better be nice to me or you'll never leave."

"Is that a threat?"

"Just a friendly reminder from your local Angel of Darkness. I brought you here to see you and teach you, nothing more."

At the 'see you' part, Ginny's stomach flipped over in a strange but not unpleasant way. "You see me all the time, God-knows-how. Why do you want to see me now?"

He spun Ginny around so her back was to him and put his arms around her. "So I could do this," he whispered in her ear. He kissed her neck, lightly brushing aside her hair.

Ginny relaxed against him, totally ignoring the part of her mind that was telling her to stop, that she didn't even know who he _was_. She turned around and cupped his check with one hand. He closed his eyes.

She couldn't give an excuse for what she did next except for that she was curious. She slipped the hand under the mask. The next minute she pulled off the mask and hat and exposed a familiar face.

He pushed her forcefully away from him and she fell to the ground. "Damn you!" he shouted angrily. Hiding his face in his hands.

Ginny stared at him in shock. "You're – you're-"

"Draco Malfoy? No, I'm his twin brother Phoenix." His voice and subsequent laugh were heavily laced with bitter, biting sarcasm. Ginny cringed. This was more like the Draco Malfoy she knew for five years at school thank the teacher she had grown to like and admire.

"But you're on the run!" she blurted out. It was been first somewhat coherent thought that she had. He smirked.

"You're not going to trick me into telling you my plans or motives, little Weasley. Nice try, though."

"I wasn't trying to!" Ginny protested. "It was an innocent question."

"You don't ask innocent questions Now, we are faced with a conundrum – what to do with you."

"With me?" Ginny squeaked, not liking the direction the conversation was going.

"Yes, with you. Don't look so scared, Weasley. I'm not going to kill you unless you make me kill you. The options are simple: either you promise not to tell under pain of death or I erase all traces of this, of me, from your memory. I can't have you exposing me. So what will it be? Will you be able to keep your mouth shut or will I have to guarantee it?"

The redhead gulped. "I- I-" A million thoughts ran through her head. She didn't want to lose her memory, but could she really keep a secret that big from everybody? It would be a challenge, but could she stand to lose all she had gained in those past few months? The memory of his breath on her neck came unbidden to her mind and she shivered. Ginny knew immediately what she had to do.

"I'll keep your secret," she said aloud. Malfoy smirked.

"I knew you'd say that."

"Then why did you ask?"

"To make you think you had a choice." He grabbed his mask out of Ginny's hands and put it on, hiding the top half of his face. "Come, we must return. Those fools at the school will be missing you."

"But I just got here!" Ginny protested.

He turned from where he was getting the boat ready. "So?"

"They won't be missing me yet. I don't have to go right now."

"And what do you propose you do, then, Weasley?"

"My name's Ginny," Ginny said. "Not Weasley."

"Oh, come on. I've always called you Weasley."

"Not recently. Not when you were teaching me. You called me Ginny."

"Things have changed since then."

"Like what? Nothing's changed, Angel. So I know who you are. Big deal."

"Weasley, don't lie. Everything's changed. Everything. You hate me now."

"I don't hate you, Angel," Ginny said softly. "Sure, I'm surprised as hell, but I think you've proven it."

"Proven what?" he asked suspiciously, standing up.

"Proven that you can be nice and civilized. Proven that you can say my name. Proven that…" she looked down, blushing, "that you like me."

"And what gives you that idea?"

"Well, you haven't killed me yet and you were kissing my neck. I think that qualifies."

"Weasley, is this going anywhere?"

"Now can I learn spells?" Ginny asked, her heart twirling oddly. He hadn't denied liking her.

"One spell, and one only. The _Face Inlapem_ charm. It turns living things into stone. There is no counter-spell."

Ginny looked horrified. "Can it kill people? I thought you said there was no dark magic in there!"

"Weasley, turning things to stone doesn't mean that it _dies_. It's just not living anymore. It's not Dark Magic."

"I don't even want to know what the other spells do," Ginny said, shuddering. "Why are you making these spells?"

"There's not that many of them; they take a long time to put together. But I need some way to defend myself. Plus, I'm bored."

"I need to defend myself too," Ginny said stubbornly. "Please, Angel, won't you teach me it?"

"I already said I would, Weasley-"

"Ginny," Ginny interrupted.

"-Ginny. But learning my spells without a wand is very tiring. It will most likely knock you out for a few hours. People will come after you. Do you want to be interrogated by Potter and his groupies?"

"No, but I'd rather be interrogated than not learn this."

"Very well," he said, walking over to her. "Repeat after me: _face inlapem_!"

Ginny repeated it, and he continued.

"Now find your center. Then whisper the incantation, concentrating hard on the thing and the effect you want."

"What do I practice on?" Ginny asked. He shrugged.

"Transfigure something. Make something living."

Ginny gave him a weird look, but transfigured a candlestick into another bunny and found her center. Then she spoke the incantation, concentrating hard. The rabbit turned grey, hard, and heavy. Ginny inhaled sharply.

"It's not dead, is it? It's just stone?" she asked.

"I don't know. Did you do it right?" A smirk on his lips told her that he was joking but she still turned the bunny over in her hands.

"It's stone," she said. "I did it!"

"Now do it ten more times, until you can do it perfectly." Catching her wondering glance, he said, "If you ever need to use this in battle, you need to have it perfect."

Ginny shrugged and conjured up ten more bunnies (and a box to put them in). As Ginny cursed more of them, the difficulty of the spell took its toll and her concentration wavered. Malfoy watched impassively, but moved forward to catch her when she fainted.

Ginny woke in a soft bed to a raging headache. She got up slowly, at first not knowing where she was. Then the candles and stone walls tipped her off and she looked around for her teacher. He was sitting at a desk on the other side of the island, pouring over old-looking books. He didn't look up until Ginny was right next to him.

"You're up? Good. Come on, we must go back. It's been hours; your absence will have been noticed by now. The last thing I need is a search party."

Ginny nodded. "I'm going to be in so much trouble as it is. Let's go."

Neither one talked much on the way back either, but as Ginny was about to pass through the mirror, she turned back.

"I'll be lighting a candle for my father tonight," she said.

"Is that so?" He sounded bored. "And?"

"And I'd like to learn a new spell."

"I told you; they're not nice spells and not appropriate for little Weasleys. Now go. You can't waste time here. And you will not tell about me, or I will use my new spells on you. Got it?"

"You'd better be there, Angel. I'll hunt you out," Ginny remarked as she stepped through the space that the mirror usually occupied. Now, however, it was slid over to allow passing space.

"Thank you," Ginny whispered to the man in a mask on the other side of the makeshift doorway. He nodded stiffly as he slid the mirror shut. His serious face was the last glance back that Ginny allowed herself before taking out the Marauder's Map that she still had from when she stole it from Harry and examining it. It looked like everyone was in class, and a quick glance at her watch confirmed her suspicions. She was supposed to be in Transfiguration.

She slipped out of the room and up the stairs. Taking a deep breath, she entered the main hallway and began walking to class.

* * *

OK, there ya go! If you ever want to talk or bug me to update, my AIM sn is Raven Greyson. And thank Lauren for getting me off my arse (even if she didn't know she was doing it!)!

Actually, I didn't like this chapter very much, but I think next chapter is better, so no flaming and hold on until the next chapter! Oh, and do you think I should post my actual PotO fanfic? Would anyone here venture over and read it? It's a high-school AU…

w00t, I just found out today that I'm going to Mexico to see Mayan ruins for spring break! I'm so happy… I love stuff like that, stuff with historical background. I mean, Disneyworld's great, but it's only skin deep, you know? So I'm VERY happy we're going there. Not to mention, I suggested it! XD


	4. Christmas and Bad News

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, plain and simple. Nor do I own The Phantom of the Opera. I wish I did, though… then the DBCA (Dramatic Black Cloak Addicts) would beat him up and destroy him and I would get Erik. Totally. –nods- That's what would happen. And it's a nice picture, too!

I'm sorry for the wait for this chapter. I'm afraid that the next chapter will be even farther off, as I haven't even started yet. I write at every second I can (including at school) but I have other stories too, and my friend is going to get mad at me for not writing on a story that we share (you guys should read it if you like LilyJames. It's by YouAndIBoth –our shared penname- and is called _Dear Whoever_.), so I need to write that too. I'll try to do better, though.

At the moment, my little brother is in the emergency room. –cries- He was at tennis (he's 9, by the way) and they were playing some game and a girl ran into him with her teeth in his cheek. It was bleeding all over the place, more than you would think. It was kinda scary, you could see three teeth marks. So he's getting checked out. That makes me sad, that he's hurt. That's my rant for the day. Sorry.

On with the story!

* * *

The portraits on the walls had all apparently all heard of Ginny's disappearance, as they were whispering and pointing. She couldn't shoot all of them dirty glances, so she ignored them. Ginny swore that the suits of armor were in cahoots with the portraits, as they kept sniggering at her.

"Ginny?"

Oh, geez, Ginny thought, now she was hearing things too. Nonetheless, she called out, "Yes?"

The figure of Meg hurried into view. "You're back!" She took a closer look at Ginny as she walked nearer. "Merlin, Ginny, you look awful!"

"Thanks," Ginny said sarcastically.

"You know what?" Meg continued. "Go to bed. I'll cover for you. You can't go out in public looking like that."

"Thank you," Ginny said gratefully. Meg shrugged.

"Anytime, but now you have to tell me where you were."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"You've got something poking out of your pocket," Meg observed. Ginny looked down in surprise and took out an envelope. It was addressed to Minerva McGonagall. Ginny gave it to Meg.

"Here, give this to McGonagall."

Meg took the envelope and pushed Ginny in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. Ginny snuck to her dorm and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Draco Malfoy was cursing fate, life, and himself. Why had he allowed that little Weasley girl to enter his lair, his home? Now she would tell everyone who and where he was and he would be captured and sent to Azkaban.

_She's not so little anymore. And she promised not to tell,_ his mind reminded him. He scowled and moved further through the tunnels behind the Hogwarts walls. One voice on the other side of the wall stood out. He was in a very secret passageway that was behind the Transfiguration classroom. The voice was that of Ginny's friend (Draco had forgotten her name). He stopped as Ginny's name was mentioned.

"Ginny has returned," the girl announced. There were gasps and whispers coming, Draco imagined, from the classmates.

"Where precisely is she now?" McGonagall's voice asked.

"I thought it best she was alone. She needed rest."

"May I see her?" a male voice piped up.

"No, monsieur, she will see no one." This amused Draco, and he guessed Ginny's friend was French by her words.

"Will she be OK?" the same guy piped up.

"Here, I have a note," Ginny's friend said.

"Let me see it," McGonagall said sharply. There was a pause, in which Draco assumed the teacher/headmistress was reading his note. He knew she couldn't recognize his handwriting; he had used a charm on it to make it unrecognizable, but he still wished he could see her face. After a while she said, "Mr. Creevey, you are in charge. Miss Giry, come with me."

Their voices faded and Draco went back to his chambers deep below Hogwarts. It was time to invent again.

Ginny was rudely awakened by Meg shaking her roughly and her headmistress at the door. "Mmph."

"Ginny," Meg whispered. "Ginny, wake up. McGonagall- sorry, _Professor_ McGonagall, wants to talk to you."

Ginny sat up and combed her fingers through her hair in an attempt to straighten it out and flatten it. "What?"

"Miss Weasley, where were you last night?" McGonagall asked. Ginny shrugged.

"Not really sure."

Meg started to say something, but Professor (Headmistress) McGonagall put up her hand and Meg promptly closed her mouth.

"Miss Weasley, this is very important. Miss Giry gave me a note about your whereabouts. They are, however, very vague. If you could clear anything up, that would be very helpful."

"What did the note say?" Ginny asked curiously. McGonagall raised her eyebrows.

"I assumed you knew. It is, of course, about you."

"No, I only saw the outside and gave it to Meg before coming up here."

"Very well." McGonagall said, opening the note again.

"'Dear Minerva McGonagall,

"'Do not worry about Miss Weasley. She was safe and will continue to be safe. She was with the Angel. She **will not** get in trouble, or a great misfortune will befall you.

"'Your local Angel'"

McGonagall stopped reading and looked up. "Do you know anything about this 'Angel'?"

"No," Ginny lied, fighting a smile. "No, I know of no 'Angel'. I don't know how in the world the letter got in my pocket."

McGonagall raised her eyebrows but left after ordering Ginny to her next class. Meg was given permission to stay with Ginny so that Ginny would not 'run off again'.

"So where _did_ you go?" Meg asked after the headmistress had gone. Ginny shrugged, waving her hand so that a skirt and shirt (and underclothes) floated out of her trunk and into her hands. Ginny went into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and got dressed. When she got out, brushing her hair, she and Meg had five minutes to get to class. They ran and made it to their next class, Charms, just in time to skid to their seats before the bell rang.

Flitwick nearly fell off his stack of books when he saw Ginny. "Goodness, you're here!"

"In the flesh," Ginny answered dryly. Flitwick just nodded and started the lesson.

Next was lunch. Although Ginny tried to avoid them, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were soon at her side. Ron was livid.

"Merlin, Ginny, you worried us! How could you do that at a time like this? There's a _war_ going on! We don't need to worry about a missing 16-year-old too!"

"Then don't!" Ginny said loudly, her temper rising at the sharp words. "I never asked you to look after me! I was perfectly fine, and I came back!"

"Came back from where?" Harry asked. "Ginny, this is too much. You learning wandless magic from an unknown person, you disappearing… it's too much to be a coincidence."

"Harry James Potter, it's none of your business where I go. You sneak out too. Don't think I don't know."

"That's completely off the point!"

"Ginny, it would really help us if you could tell us," Hermione put in.

"Ever if I was going to tell you, I wouldn't help you here," Ginny snapped, then grabbed a roll. She stuffed it in her mouth whole and washed it down with a swig of pumpkin juice. Meg stared at her.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving. I haven't eaten anything since dinner last night."

"Ah, the Angel had no food?" Meg asked slyly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ginny said, stuffing another roll in her mouth. After she swallowed, she added, "I don't know of any angel."

"The one in the letter, Gin. Remember, it said you were with the Angel."

"What angel?" Ron asked, his mouth full too. "I don't know of any angel around here. Ghosts, yes; angels, no."

"I have no idea what this 'angel' is, Ronald Weasley and Meg Giry, so if you're quite done interrogating me, I have to get to class."

"The bell hasn't-" Meg started, but then the bell rang. "OK, let's go."

The whole day was filled with whispers and stares, much like after the duel. Ginny hated the attention. It made it so hard to concentrate. Meg made it hard too, always following her around.

Ginny missed meeting the Angel three days in a row, mostly because she was always being watched. Meg was almost always with her, and if Meg wasn't there, somebody else was.

Eventually people grew content that she wasn't going to run away, and by Christmas everything was normal again in terms of keeping Ginny company.

Christmas Day, however, wasn't so positive.

Ginny was awakened by Meg jumping on her bed. "Get off," Ginny mumbled, pushing Meg's legs.

"Get up!" Meg said. "Happy Christmas, Ginny!"

Ginny opened her eyes. "It's Christmas already?"

"Yeah, it is!" Christine (another Gryffindor 6th year girl) said, picking clothes out of her trunk. "There are _presents_ by your bed!"

"What, did you think I was that naughty?" Ginny asked, sitting up and yawning. "'Cause I wasn't really that bad."

Christine shrugged and disappeared into the bathroom to dress. Ginny yawned again.

"What time is it?"

"Seven," Meg replied. "Open your presents already!"

In the end, Ginny got five bags of Bertie Botts, two Droobles, a sweater, and a pair of earrings.

"Come on!" Meg said, yanking on Ginny's arm. "Let's go see what the others got."

Ginny allowed herself to be pulled down to the common room. Everyone in Gryffindor who stayed for Christmas seemed to be down there. Most were done opening their presents and those who weren't done were almost finished. Strangely enough, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were absent from the room.

"Neville!" she called across the room.

"Yeah?" the boy called back.

"Where's Harry?"

"I don't know, but he was having a fit again when he woke up. Sorry I can't help you more!"

"No, that's what I wanted. Thank you!"

Neville nodded and turned back to Dean Thomas and continued his conversation.

"So," Meg said. "Gonna visit the Angel today?"

Ginny could have smacked her. "Meg, there _is no Angel_! And I'd appreciate if you didn't spread rumors!"

"I'm not," Meg said, looking hurt. "I was just wondering."

"Well, don't," Ginny said crossly. Meg pouted childishly.

"Well then, if you're going to be mean, I'm going to go hang out with Christine instead."

"Christine is with her boyfriend, Meg," Ginny pointed out.

"Oh, that guy with the weird name? Raoul or something like that? He's no fun."

Ginny snorted. "How do you know? You've never even talked to the guy."

"I can tell by the way he looks. Guys like him are almost always boring."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh. "OK, let's go down to breakfast. I wonder how many tables there are this time. There's hardly anyone left at Hogwarts."

"I bet there's only one or two," Meg guessed.

"We shall see in a minute," Ginny said, grinning, all former irritation gone.

"Excuse me," a voice said behind them. The two sixth years looked back and saw a first-year girl. Ginny thought her name was Erin, but she wasn't quite sure. She hadn't exactly been in the best of shape at the beginning of the year when the Sorting happened.

"Excuse me, but is one of you Ginny Weasley?" the girl continued.

"Aye," Ginny said, causing Meg to throw a quick amused glance at her and mouth, 'PIRATE!'. "That's me. Why?"

"Professor McGonagall wants you in her office, right now," Erin said.

"I didn't do it," Ginny said instantly, causing Meg to snort with laughter.

"God, Gin, you sound like your brothers."

"Hopefully not Percy…" Ginny said, and remembered that Erin was there. "Any word on why she needs to see me so urgently?"

"No; she just told me to find you. I had to ask seven people to find you. I knew your name, though; you're quite famous among us first years. Running away and all…"

"I didn't run away!" Ginny said through gritted teeth. "I was in the castle!"

"Mmhmm. Well, anyway, I've got to get to breakfast and you'd better hurry to McGonagall's. She sounded serious." Erin gave Ginny and Meg a smile and scurried off into the Great Hall. Ginny gave a helpless look at Meg.

"I'm sorry, Meg, I have to go. Tell me how many tables there are if I don't get back in time for breakfast."

"'Kay," Meg said. "I hope you're not getting in trouble for anything. You'd better not be, anyway, Miss Weasley!" She gave Ginny a mock-stern glare.

Ginny shrugged. "We'll see." She jogged off in the direction of McGonagall's office and reached there in about a minute and thirty seconds. She was about to open the door when she heard voices inside.

"Do you really think this is wise, Potter?" Professor McGonagall's voice said.

"No," Harry's voice said. "But nothing's wise these days. She deserves to know. I remember how I felt when I didn't know anything until my fifth year. I don't want that to happen to Ginny."

Ginny got a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't a visit to be chastised for something she hadn't known she had done wrong. She knocked on the door and it was instantly opened by Harry. She slipped past him into the room and looked questioningly at the occupants in the room. Harry was there, and Professor McGonagall. Ron and Hermione were also present.

"Sit, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, indicating a chair. Ginny dropped into it and continued to look curiously at Harry and the others.

"Is there something I should know?" she asked, breaking the silence that had crept over the room. "'Cause I'm getting a strong feeling that something's wrong."

"Potter?" McGonagall asked. "I leave the explaining to you."

Harry took a deep breath. "OK, well, you know how I get those dreams sometimes? The true nightmares?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, Neville said you were near having a fit this morning."

Harry nodded too. "Yeah, I have to say I was. I had a dream last night."

"OK, so why am I here? I mean, I'm not important or anything," Ginny asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"Ginny, this involves you," Harry said. "It involves you as in, it was about you."

Ginny gaped at him. _This can't be good._ Everyone was waiting for her to say something, so she said, "What about me?"

"Voldemort said something about you."

"What did he say? Harry, tell me!"

Harry sighed. "He wanted you, Ginny. You to be captured and brought to him. He remembers you from Tom Riddle and he wants you back."

"Oh," Ginny said, feeling incredibly numb. She didn't feel truly frightened or angry. She didn't feel anything at all.

"Wait, you're telling me that V-V-Voldemort wants my baby sister?" Ron asked angrily. Obviously he had no such problems.

""Pretty much, yeah," Harry answered seriously. "We need to protect Ginny. Ginny, you need to help us. No going out at night. And don't do anything stupid."

"Me? Do anything stupid?" Ginny said innocently. "Don't be silly." A glare from everyone else shut her up.

"Gin, this is serious," Ron said sharply. "It could mean the difference between your life and death. Don't joke around like that."

"Joy. So what will you all be doing?"

"Beyond protecting you, trying to locate Voldemort," Harry answered.

'So let me get this straight. Voldemort wants me, probably to kill me, and probably because of the whole diary fiasco thing. You will all be making sure I'm safe while trying to find him and I will be trying to find something to do in the two feet of space I'm allowed to move around in. Am I correct?"

"More or less."

Ginny smiled as brightly as she could, considering the circumstances. "Happy Christmas."

* * *

Ginny was still as numb as ever as she made her way past the Fat Lady and through the corridors of the school late that night. Once she thought a ghost had seen her, but it had turned out to be her imagination.

"Angel? Are you there?" she asked, bursting into 'her' room.

"Goodness, Weasley, what are you doing here at this time of night?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Shouldn't you? Anyway, I have to tell you something, something important." _And I need to see you._ "And how many times must I tell you to call me Ginny?"

"What is it?" he asked, ignoring the 'call me Ginny' part.

"I can't risk anyone overhearing."

There was a sigh. "_Ginny_, I can't bring you in. People will worry. You're not supposed to be out of bed right now."

"I don't care."

"I do."

Ginny stared at the mirror in disbelief. "You care?"

"Only because they'd make you tell where you were."

"Fine, then I'll go back. I can't tell you here." Ginny turned to walk out.

"Ginny, you're being childish. It's the middle of the night in a room nobody knows about. Nobody's going to overhear."

Ginny sighed dramatically. "Fine then. Well, in a nutshell, Voldemort wants to capture and probably kill me. Everyone is going to keep a closer eye on me, and I won't be able to come down here anymore."

"What would the Dark Lord want with _you_?" he asked.

"Probably something relating to the diary thing. How he has Tom Riddle's memories, I don't know, but apparently he does."

"Well, look on the bright side."

"There's a bright side?"

"You could be like me."

Ginny laughed, but even to her ears it seemed tinny and false. "I guess. When are you going to come out?"

"Never. You'll have to find my bones when I die."

"I'll work on that."

"Go back to bed," he said firmly. "You need to be bright and chipper tomorrow morning or else they'll know you're up to something."

"But I'm not," Ginny said confusedly. "Am I?"

"By not turning me in, you're going against the law."

"Wonderful. I'm an outlaw."

"Not unless they know you did it. Go to bed."

"Fine," Ginny sulked. "Only because I'm tired." She yawned to prove her point.

"Liar, but go."

He was right, she was wide awake, but it wasn't very nice of him to call her a liar, she thought crossly. Especially knowing who he was.

"Fine. Goodnight and thanks for your wonderful advice. Happy Christmas." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. She stalked out of the room and crept up to her room, glancing back. No voice called at her back as she left.

* * *

Although Ginny went back the next three days, her Angel didn't speak to her. She wasn't about to beg her former worst enemy to talk to her. By the fourth day, the Trio had constructed a plan to 'protect' Ginny. It consisted of a bunch of words she didn't know and she had no clue what they were talking about, but it sounded impressive. It was completely unnecessary, of course, but it didn't matter to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"There's really no need for it!" Ginny protested. "How do you know he's not just messing with your mind?"

"I know it," said Harry simply. "I've got a feeling."

"Joy. Let's just hope I don't get killed as a result."

"Hey, don't think like that. Nobody's going to die," Harry said optimistically.

"Harry, this is a _war_. Of course people are going to die," Ginny pointed out.

"Well, you're not," Harry said firmly. "I won't let you."

"Aww, thanks. Now can I go to the bathroom by myself or do you need Hermione to go with me?" Ginny asked sarcastically.

Harry gave her a disapproving look. Ginny shrugged.

"I was just asking. But I'm serious. May I?"

"Uh, yeah," Harry said. "But be careful."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "What, afraid I'm gonna drown in the toilet? I'm always careful. It's yourself you should be worried about. You're the one who keeps getting into danger." She walked in the direction of the girls' bathroom, and Harry didn't call after her. Nor did Ron or Hermione, who had made agreeing noises after much of what Harry said.

Ginny didn't really have to go to the bathroom; she just wanted to get away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. A girl could only take so much, especially right before classes.

She drifted in the direction of her first class. A voice called to her:

"Ginny! Gin!"

Ginny turned around to see Meg hurrying towards her with a grin on her face. The redhead waited for her friend to catch up before hurrying off again, leaving the blonde to rush after her.

"Gin, slow down!" Meg implored as she huffed, trying to keep up.

Ginny, upon reaching the classroom, turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Oh, Ginny, I've got the best news ever!" Meg exclaimed, evidently forgetting that she had had to chase Ginny to the classroom to be able to talk to her.

"What news?" Ginny wasn't complaining.

"Oh, Ginny, you know how much I like Michael Grakowski?" Meg was beaming and practically bursting with excitement.

Ginny grinned, pushing aside the darkness in her mind to make way for joy at Meg's news. "That's great, Meg! How did he ask you? When?" she asked. The pair sat down in their desks (which were next to each other, of course. What else?).

"I dunno," Meg answered the first question. "It just sort of… happened. Out of nowhere, he asked if I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him. And just now, before I chased you halfway across the school."

"Very romantic," Ginny said dryly. "To each her own, I guess."

"So that's my news. You look like you have some to share."

"You make it seem as if I have alcohol or drugs or something like that."

"…Do you?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm just _loaded_ with beer and pot," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "My news is rather private."

"Is it important?"

"Very."

"Well, you couldn't have shagged somebody, you'd be glowing-"

"MEG!" Ginny screeched, causing the class to stare. "Meg, that's disgusting, especially for a classroom!"

"What?" Meg sounded amused. "I was just ruling out different options."

"Well, that definitely wasn't it!"

"Then what _was_ it?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." It wasn't actually all that important to be secret, but Ginny didn't feel like showing off her new orders from Harry. So she kept quiet about it.

"You suck," Meg pouted.

"I know. Already established," Ginny said. Class started and Meg and Ginny faced forward and pretended to pay attention.

"I love Michael," Meg murmured in a sing-song voice. Ginny looked at her sideways.

"We know. Now be a good girl and shut up."

"Yes, mum." Meg whispered back.

"Good girl."

* * *

w00t! 3613 words without the author's notes! 12 pages! That makes me very happy. I hope it made you happy, too.

-Kinz

P.S. Update on my brother: he got back from the ER, he's fine. They had to open it up and see how deep it was and stuff, so it wasn't very fun. He's got that tape stuff that holds the cut together on. So he's good, although a bit disappointed that he can't sing high (he can normally sing higher than me… -grumbles- silly little boy, hasn't gone through puberty yet.).


	5. Midnight Sneaks

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter whatsoever. Nor do I own Phantom of the Opera, or anything else I refer to that's… not mine.

**OK, This is a REALLY REALLY short 4-page chapter. I have writer's block and thought that maybe you'd like this crappy little chapter instead of waiting for another month for not much more.**

**So sorry that it's not up to standard, if you say it sucks, I'll totally agree with you. I'll try to redo it when I have time, and I will try very hard to get the next chapter up soon.**

* * *

Ginny was in withdrawal. 

And without chocolate, which was maybe even worse than withdrawal.

That was a problem. She couldn't even go shopping. The nearest Hogsmeade day was in two weeks and she didn't think she could last that long.

So Ginny did what all girls in withdrawal do:

Find a way to get to the thing you're withdrawing after.

**-----------**

"Meg," Ginny whispered late one night, two weeks after Harry's plan took action and three hours after the 'plan' was hatched. "Meg, I'm going out for a bit."

"Mmm'kay," Meg mumbled, half-asleep. Ginny allowed herself one short smirk before slipping out of bed and putting on slippers. She, taking her wand, put a silencing spell on herself and grabbed Harry's invisibility cloak. _You'd think he'd take better care of it, better security at least,_ she thought, but it hadn't even been locked away.

She exited the room with the cloak on and her wand in her pocket and went down the stairwell without the stairs even creaking once, which was a miracle for her. Normally the steps made noise when she trod on them, but not tonight.

Miraculously, there was nobody in the common room. OK, so it _was_ 1 AM, but usually there was at least some seventh years doing their homework. It was a charmed night.

She slipped out the portrait hole, leaving the Fat Lady to squawk, "Who's there?"

It was too easy. There had to be somebody waiting to bust her somewhere. But she had told Meg that she was going out, so it wasn't really sneaking out.

She snuck through long corridors to the secret room behind the tapestry.

"Angel…" she sang quietly. "Come on, I know you're there." She lost her sing-song voice at the last sentence.

"You're lucky I don't sleep," Draco Malfoy's voice said. "You, however, do, and I'd like to know why you're up."

"Because," Ginny responded simply. "Because this is the only time I'll be able to come and light a candle for him." She avoided saying directly who it was for. The loss, although months prior, was still fresh in her mind, although she didn't show it.

She could feel scrutinizing eyes staring at her from a hidden sanctuary, appraising her.

"Then light your candle," he said finally. She smiled.

"Don't sound so happy about it." She struck up a match and lit the candle the Muggle way. Somehow it seemed appropriate. Ginny's father had loved Muggle things, so it almost made amends for the lack of candle-lighting in the recent past in her mind. Almost.

She straightened up but lingered, staring into the mesmerizing flame that was gently burning on top of the short white candle.

"Is something bothering you?" Draco asked from within the walls in the nicest tone Ginny had ever heard from him.

"Not exactly," she said slowly. "I'm just… never mind." She fled to the door, only to find it locked. Nothing magical or Muggle worked to open it. She sighed. "Open it."

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." His voice sounded amused.

"No!" In truth, Ginny didn't exactly know what was bothering her. It was just a nagging feeling, tugging at the back of her brain like a small child pulling at their mother's skirt to get attention. There was no need to tell him that, though. "If you keep me here, they'll come hunt me out. They'll get you too, and where would that lead us?"

"Us?"

"You know, you and me. We'd both get in trouble."

"Not likely. It's doubtful that they could find me. I've got so many curses and traps that they'd fall down dead long before they reached me."

"And me?"

"Well, they'd probably catch you."

"Thanks. Cheery thought."

"But a true one."

"Now that we've brainstormed our fate, will you let me out?"

"Answer me one question."

"Shoot."

"Why did you come here?"

Ginny thought for a moment. "I was in withdrawal."

"With what?"

"That's two questions," Ginny said, grinning. "C'mon, open the door. You promised."

"I did no such thing."

"Did so."

"No, I didn't. I'll let you go now, though; I can't risk even possibly getting caught."

"I thought you said that it didn't matter if they found this place and that you couldn't possibly get caught with all the traps and curses you have set up."

"I would hate to have to fix them," he said. "Or to fish dead bodies out of them."

"So you don't care if they get killed, as long as they don't mess up your system of traps?"

"Not a bit. They'd deserve it for trying to break in."

"That's horrible. That's awful."

"A bit repetitive, are you?"

"Don't change the subject."

"What subject?"

"The fact that you don't care who you kill! I thought you didn't _want_ to kill anymore! I thought that that was why you were hiding!"

"Look, Weasley," Draco said. "I don't want to kill people for no good reason. But if it's self defense, or if they're bugging into my business, then it's acceptable."

"Acceptable?" Ginny voice was growing louder by the syllable. "You think it's _acceptable_ to kill people? Angel – can I even call you that? Malfoy-"

And all of a sudden she couldn't speak. She glared at the direction of the mirror. Draco had obviously put a silencing charm on her with his wandless magic. "Take it off!" she mouthed furiously. She couldn't take the charm off without speaking; she wasn't quite that good with her wandless magic quite yet.

"Don't shout," he said. She scowled but couldn't say anything.

"That's better." Ginny guessed he was smirking.

"Now, let me set you straight, o great Weasley. First, I am no longer a Malfoy and I refuse to be called one. Second, I don't enjoy death, God knows I've seen enough of it in my lifetime. And third, it's survival of the fittest. If they're stupid enough to try to break and enter into my house, then they don't deserve to be in the gene pool We have enough stupid genes in society without the real idiots around."

She mouthed certain words that would need to be censored out if they were said out loud.

"And now, I'll give you back your voice and let you go if you'll shut up anyway. Do you promise?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded. Yes, she would stop yelling at him if he stopped. But that didn't mean that she couldn't bring up the 'conversation' later. Behind the wall, Draco no-longer-Malfoy disabled the charm that had its hold on Ginny's vocal cords. The door unlocked with a click. Ginny immediately stalked to the door and threw it open without a word. She didn't look back as she stormed back up to her room, stowed the Invisibility Cloak under her mattress, and fell back asleep.

* * *

**Awful, abrupt ending. I'm sorry. Bad Kinsey! –smacks arm- So anyways, you don't have to review if you don't want to, but they're always appreciated and make me bounce around for a while. Flames make me sad, though, and then my friends would beat you up, so don't flame.**


	6. Lies

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or Phantom of the Opera. Unfortunately. If I did, Harry would be dead, and so would the fop (aka Raoul) from PotO. Evil would rule all, and Draco and Ginny would be together. Or Tom Riddle and Ginny, I'm not picky. OK, done now.

**There's really no excuse as to why I'm so late in posting. Really, there isn't. I have the whole afternoon most days to write or do whatever I want (from about 1:00 on), so I don't see why I haven't been writing this fic. Maybe it's because I've got no idea WHATSOEVER where this fic is going. I started this story because I wanted to join Harry Potter and Phantom of the Opera in a semicreative way, not because I had a brilliant plot idea. For that, I'm sincerely sorry, along with being sorry for taking so damn long to write this. I've had about half of this for a while, but hadn't finished until a few hours ago.**

* * *

Ginny walked around the next day like a zombie. She was dead tired and frustrated to death with Draco (she couldn't call him Angel right then, could she?). Why did he have to be an arse? She pondered this during History of Magic. 

"Hello, earth to Ginny," Meg said, waving a hand in front of Ginny's face. "The bell rang and you're still sitting there. Are you OK?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Ginny said, shoving her stuff hastily in her bag. "Just a bit tired."

Meg looked at her suspiciously. "You weren't sneaking off in the middle of the night again, were you? You know you're not supposed to."

"I didn't sneak off," Ginny said truthfully. Telling Meg that she was leaving, even if Meg didn't remember it, qualified it as not sneaking off. "Come on, we've got to go to Transfiguration."

The two girls ran to the Transfiguration classroom two floors away, and had just barely slid into their seats when the bell rang. McGonagall quickly set the class to transfiguring a canary to a pocketwatch and have it sing the time.

"Can you believe this?" Meg groused ten minutes later. "All I've managed to do is make mine tick. It still looks like a canary! I'm never going to get this."

"Me either," Ginny said, yawning. She couldn't concentrate with her fatigue going at full strength. "I'm so tired."

"Didn't your wandless magic teacher teach you anything like this?" Meg asked, brushing blonde hair out of her face as she attempted the spell once more.

Ginny shook her head. "Nope. My teacher didn't teach me anything like this." That was very true. Draco had taught her mostly curses and battle spells. Turning your opponent into a pocket watch wasn't exactly the perfect battle strategy. There was the occasional other type of spell, like the spell to light candles using only her hand, but that was basically it.

"Damn. Okay, again." Meg cast the spell again and the bird turned into a pocketwatch. It was a silent pocketwatch, but a pocketwatch all the same.

"Nice," Ginny commented. She cast the spell on the canary and it, too, turned into a pocketwatch. Only, this pocketwatch lisped out the time.

"Ugh, even you got it!" Meg groaned, while Ginny smirked victoriously.

"Ha," Ginny said teasingly. "Wait, is that an insult?"

"No, of course not. Now help me make my watch sing the time!"

Ginny laughed and corrected Meg's wand movements. Soon Meg's watch was singing the time in a high, pretty soprano voice.

"Much better than mine," Ginny observed, her laugh interrupted by a huge yawn. Meg giggled.

"How much sleep did you get last night, anyway? You've been yawning and zoning out all day!" Then Meg's eyes narrowed. "You found a boy, didn't you? You've been up late doing God-knows-what with him, haven't you?"

Ginny snorted. She couldn't help it, after the fight between her and Draco last night. They hadn't even been close to a couple or anything, and she didn't have a problem with that. "No, Meg, I haven't found anyone in that way. I just couldn't sleep."

They had to stop talking then, as McGonagall came to inspect their pocketwatches. She picked Meg's up first, the clock singing sweetly, and then Ginny's, whose was hoarsely whispering the time.

"Well done, Miss Giry," McGonagall said briskly. "Miss Weasley, you still have a fair amount to do. I suggest you two stop talking and you get to work on that clock."

"Yes, Professor," Ginny said, and as the professor walked away, added under her breath, "Scrawny old bat." Meg succumbed to the giggles but quickly stopped as McGonagall looked sternly in her way.

"So, really, why didn't you sleep?" Meg whispered as Ginny tried the spell again. This time it worked, much to Ginny's relief. She had been wondering whether or not she'd be getting extra homework tonight.

"I couldn't," Ginny answered.

"Why not?"

"I don't know." Then the bell rang. Meg looked curiously at Ginny as they gathered up their stuff.

"Why is that, I wonder…" Meg mused. "You haven't met any boys. You didn't sneak out. So what _did_ you do, Miss Ginny?"

"Did it ever occur to you that I might just have had trouble sleeping?" Ginny asked, inwardly chanting _don't make me lie, don't make me lie._ She really hated lying outright to someone she loved, and she had managed as of yet not to totally lie, but if Meg kept pushing, she might have to. That was something to avoid.

"Of course not! That's boring. There has to be some other, more interesting reason for your insomnia."

"There isn't," Ginny said testily. Meg raised an eyebrow.

"Right."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Meg, give it up. I couldn't sleep. I know it's happened to you before."

"I still don't believe you," Meg said firmly as the bell rang. "I'll find out what it was if it's the last thing I do."

"Meg, if you keep going on about this, it _will_ be the last thing you do," Ginny growled. She gathered up her stuff and walked out of the classroom, leaving Meg to follow behind, deep in thought.

* * *

"So, Ginny, how was your day?" Hermione asked later that night. 

Ginny shrugged, her mouth full of potato. She swallowed and said, "Can't complain." Even though there totally was a reason to complain. She was still pissed at her Angel – Malfoy, actually – and that made her in a generally bad mood. Meg was still trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Oh, good," Hermione said distractedly. Ginny rolled her eyes and turned back to eating. Obviously that had just been a formality; there were more important things to do than to find out about little Ginny Weasley.

"Ginny, could you please pass me the rolls?" Meg asked at the same time as two first-year boys and one first-year girl stepped up behind the redhead.

"Excuse me," one of the boys said. Ginny turned around.

"Yes?"

"Well," the boy seemed to be fairly nervous about this; he kept glancing at his companions. "I – we – we were wondering if you could show us some wandless magic."

"Um, no," Ginny said. "I'm sorry, but no."

"Please? I'd really like to see it," the girl pleaded.

"No! Now go eat your lunch."

Looking dejected, the three walked back to their places. Ginny turned back to face the table and saw several people looking at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," most of them muttered and they turned away. All except for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, whose heads had swiveled on their necks.

"Ginny," Harry started, "you still haven't told us how you learned wandless magic."

"Or who the angel is," Ron put in. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"There isn't an 'Angel'," she said. "I don't know where Meg got the idea in the first place. You know her; she's always making stuff up."

Meg gave an outraged squawk and smacked Ginny. "I do not! That note mentioned an Angel!"

"Maybe I made it all up. Maybe I wrote the note myself to get out of trouble."

"Maybe you didn't," Meg retorted. "It wasn't your handwriting. I saw it, remember? And you said you had never seen it."

"I wrote it with my left hand," Ginny lied. "And I lied."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Let's see, then." That was Ron's voice, very serious.

"I can't," Ginny said. "My hand hurts. I banged it on the door frame this morning." Which was a complete and utter lie, but a necessary one. She hated lying outright to them, and knew that they were going to come and bite her in the arse sometime, but she would deal with that when it came.

"Your hand doesn't look hurt to me," Ron said. Ginny cradled her hand as if it hurt.

"It hurts, though. It's not _my_ fault I don't bruise easily."

"Yes it is!"

"Ron, you're being stupid," Ginny said severely. "Can someone please pass me the rolls?"

"Hey, I wanted the rolls first," Meg whined, and the conversation about the Angel was over, much to Ginny's relief.

* * *

Below the floor, in a secret tunnel built by Salazar Slytherin himself – who not only built the Chamber of Secrets, but also built a series of secret tunnels below the floors, behind the walls, in the rafters, anywhere there was space – a boy (man, really) was walking on his way to the kitchen to steal some food when voices trickled down through the stone. He could hear bits and pieces of their conversation. 

"There isn't an 'Angel'-" Ginny's voice said.

"-that note-" Ginny's friend Meg said, the rest of the sentence muffled by a large amount of stone. Draco Malfoy stopped where he was and tried to listen, interested.

"-wrote the note myself-" said Ginny.

Draco couldn't hear anything else for a while, and then smirked when he clearly heard Ginny say, "Ron, you're being stupid," and then something about rolls. Convinced that the conversation about him was over, he went on his way.

If he had waited just a bit, until lunch was almost over, he might have heard Meg ask Ginny about her wandless magic teacher, and if she had seen him lately. He might have heard Ginny shush Meg and whisper 'no,' and he might have heard Meg ask Ginny if she missed him.

If he had stayed, he might have heard Ginny murmur, "Yes," as if admitting it to herself.

But he didn't.

* * *

**So there you go. only 5 pages, but it's longer than the other one by a few hundred words. I figured you guys would rather have a short chapter in a long while rather than an only slightly longer chapter in a longer while. Oh, and I suppose I should tell you to review. Maybe good reviews will make my headache go away. (hint hint)**

**-Kinz**


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